Terracotta Warrior
by FujinoLover
Summary: Phillip broke the sleeping curse but instead of getting their happy ending, Aurora was haunted by a nightmare. Every night, she dreamed of being trapped in a burning chamber with an unknown person who called her name over and over again.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:**

All copyrighted materials used in this work are the properties of their respective owners. Reference of real persons, places, and events is made in fictional context and is not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual. As this work is only for self enjoyment purpose and not to gain profit in any way, it constitutes fair use.

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**Chapter One**

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_"-rora."_

_"Aurora."_

Aurora finally gave in and opened her eyes. She knew she was dreaming, trapped inside the burning chamber again. Ever since Prince Phillip broke the curse, the brown haired princess had been having the same nightmare every time she slept. She had refused to sleep for days, only taking short power nap every now and then, but eventually her body betrayed her. By the fourth day after she was awakened from the curse, the brown haired princess found herself succumbed to the need of closing her eyes and letting herself drifted to the dreamland. Before she fully slipped into the restless slumber, her swayed consciousness had planned to just close her eyes and _maybe_ she could make herself really sleep throughout the awful dream. After all, sleeping was what she did best for years. But then the voice came, calling for her name, and she couldn't keep ignoring it.

_"Aurora."_

"What?" The princess snapped, eyes narrowed at the source of the voice. Across her, hidden behind a tall wall of flames, she saw the silhouette of someone but she couldn't identify the person's identity. "Who are you?" Aurora shouted while taking a step forward, but the fire roared back at her. She stumbled backward and instinctively put an arm up to shield her face.

_"Aurora."_

For a fleeting second, Aurora swore she could hear concern in the figure's voice. She even thought she saw it flinched a bit, but brushed it off as the blaze playing tricks on her distracted mind. "Who are you?" The sleeping beauty tried again. "Do I know you?"

_"Aurora."_

"Answer me!"

The constant calling of her name and the flame were not doing well on Aurora's already short patience. This unknown silhouette could be someone who could help her or kill her, either way she did not care. If there was any way to end her torturous sleeps then she would take it in a heartbeat. The feelings stirs in her guts was saying otherwise, though. Through the wall of fire, Aurora could feel longing and helplessness emitting from the figure. Somehow, her heart ached from it.

_"Aurora."_

"Who are you...?"

This time, the princess took small steps forward until only the fire separating her from the unidentified figure. Her calmness seems to soothe the blaze as it flickered, thinning its intensity ever so slightly. The princess hesitated for a second before she decided to stay on her side instead of endangering her well-being by crossing the fire. She was very much aware of how it could burn her real body too and she did not know this person, they were not worth the danger.

Maintaining a good distance from the flames, Aurora could finally see the person across her. Someone with long brunette hair dressed in complicated body armor that she never saw before. Despite the heavy protective garments covering most of the person's body, there was no doubt in the princess' mind that this knight or warrior, was indeed a woman. The long black hair was the first clue, but it was the shape of her face that gave her away. It was too feminine to be a man.

_"Aurora."_

Aurora could hear it clearly yet even after she squinted her eyes, she could not spot the woman's lips moving. In fact, the warrior had not even blinked once, her dark brown orbs staring straight at Aurora and it held so much power that the princess felt herself being pierced by the intense stare. Other than that, the warrior had not moved at all. It was as if she was petrified and could do nothing but calling for Aurora's name.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

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"Aurora?"

The voice sounded distant and held different tone than the one she heard in her dream. Aurora knew she was not sleeping. Her eyes were open, yet unseeing. She could feel the wind caressing her cheeks; it was nothing like the scorching warmth inside the burning chamber. The princess was aware of these facts but she could not bring herself around. It was as if a thick fog clouding her senses. The thought of the woman in her frequent nightmare had been haunting her even when she was not sleeping.

"Aurora." This time concern was clearly on the edge of the voice. "Aurora, love..." Soon it was accompanied by a warm hand that rested on top of Aurora's arm.

The skin contact snapped Aurora out of her daze. Her blue orbs immediately locked to the brown pair that belonged to her fiancé, worry swirled pretty clear on them. "I'm sorry I was distracted." The auburn-haired princess tried to smile to ease Phillip's distress but it never reached her eyes. "What were we talking about again?"

Phillip did not buy the act but he let it go, thinking the whole wedding preparation must be the reason for Aurora's mind-wandering state. "I was asking whether you have anyone you would like to personally invite from Sir Maurice's kingdom?"

The name brought frown upon Aurora's face. It did not take another second before she shook her head in negative. "I heard Belle is taken by a pack of werewolves in exchange for protection of the land." Her voice was heavy with emotion, lost and grief for the aforementioned princess. "I'm not familiar with her older sisters."

"I see..."

While Phillip busied himself with the list of royals and every imaginable important person in the enchanted forest, Aurora slipped back to her safe haven, her mind. Among the princesses in the land, Belle was the only one Aurora called as a friend, instead of acquaintance or simply an ally to her kingdom. The bookworm princess was the one she asked about once she settled back into her newly regained consciousness and the answer she got was not one she ever expected. While Aurora fell into unproductive sleep for years during and after the Ogre War, her friend sacrificed herself, being a hero of her own story. Although Aurora admittedly admired and envied Belle's braveness, she could not help but feel a bit fortunate that her story seemed to flow smoothly, which was honestly cruel on itself.

Aurora was totally unaware of a pair of brown eyes that had been studying her for the last minute. It did not take long for Phillip to give up on his errand, pushing the scrolls onto the side and sighed in defeat. Fighting men and slaying dragons were his duty, not listing the names of people he honestly had no clear recollection of. The prince's attention easily drew to his fiancée, who looked as distracted as he was, if not more. Another rush of exhale left his lips as the constant pang of headache began pulsing on the side of his temple.

Phillip loved Aurora; he did and would always do. Ever since their parents announced their betrothal back when he was only six summers old and Aurora was no more than a day old. Despite the hastiness and lack of deeper understanding of the matter on his part, he graciously accepted the arrangement. All because it was his responsibility as a prince, to ensure that his land would prosper under great leadership. He knew Aurora would be the perfect match, he could not ask for more. After he found out about the curse Maleficent casted over the princess and how Merryweather -one of Aurora's fairy godmothers- had managed to alter the curse so the princess would only fall into deep slumber when pricked by the spindle and would only be awakened by his kiss, the one she was betrothed at birth, he was ridden by the obsession to be what his title constrained him to be. But then they passed the hardship, he woke her up with a kiss, they were preparing for their upcoming marriage, and here he was dreading about what he truly felt about her.

_It is love_, Phillip mused whilst looking straight at Aurora, something he had been doing a lot as of late and an action the auburn-haired beauty never noticed, ever. _It is love but not one of the passionate kinds of love_, he grimly concluded.

By the look of it, Aurora felt the same, even though she had not yet aware of it. There was no doubt in Phillip's predicament. He needed to figure out a way to make her realize about this before it was too late. Sure, their parents did arranged marriages too. Almost every other noble did. Fondness would grow with time, but it was not what Phillip wanted for Aurora. She, both of them, was worth more than that.

Troubled by his own thoughts, Phillip failed to spot how the table had turned around until Aurora's delicate hand landed on his sweaty one. "Yes?" His normally deep voice croaked a bit and he cleared his throat. Aurora hesitated for a while, opening her mouth as if she wanted to say something but no noise came out. Phillip rested his unoccupied hand on top of the one Aurora had yet extracted back. "You can tell me everything." He gave a small squeeze, noting how cold her hand was, before his own expression matched hers. "We-We are friends," the word felt foreign on his tongue but the small light set upon Aurora's expression indicated that he had chosen to use it correctly, "so you can tell me everything." He grinned dashingly, confidence shining through his brown orbs.

The princess had not yet shared more of her bad dreams to Phillip, thinking he had done so much for her and she did not wish to burden him more, but his sincere words had assured her. "I have been having... Nightmares... Ever since you woke me up from the curse." She pulled her hand back, turning to mindlessly poke the scrolls on the table whilst avoiding his concerned gaze. "It is no ordinary nightmares. I was trapped..." Aurora let out a shuddering exhale; palm fell flat on the table's cool surface as if to anchor herself from sinking under the pressure. "It was a red chamber with mirrors and burning fire... No door or window, there is no way out... It-It was hard to breathe and..." She trailed off, shakily putting her left arm on top of the table.

Phillip quirked a brow but said nothing until Aurora turned it around and pulled up the sleeve to uncover her inner wrist. On what used to be smooth, flawless skin was a burn mark. The scar ran about two inches long. It was already fading, probably a few weeks old, but the contrast with Aurora's fair complexion was still noticeable.

"Aurora..." Phillip gingerly touched the edge of the mark with the pads of his finger, scared that any contact might hurt the princess. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" His voice held no accusation, only pure concern.

Aurora looked away, feeling guilty and ashamed for hiding it from Phillip. "I didn't want to burden you further." She pulled her arm back before smiling softly at him. "You already did so much for me and this kingdom." There was nothing but sincerity in her tone.

_It is my job as your fiancé_ was what Phillip intended to say but he bit his tongue. That kind of statement was not something Aurora would appreciate. He knew by heart that the young girl felt indebted to him and he did not wish to add more reason to it. Instead he said, "Of course I'll help you. Even without our betrothal, our kingdoms are allies."

"I know."

"Is there anything else you can tell about your dream?"

The princess hesitated for a second, before she nodded timidly. "There is someone there..."

Phillip arched a brow. Dreams were said to be the reflection of someone's subconscious thought or in the case of seer, a prophecy of future happenings, but Aurora was not blessed by such power so it might be someone important for her. "Do you know that person?"

"No... But it was the same woman and she would do nothing but call my name every time."

The prince's brow hiked up higher. "A woman?" He muttered, almost unheard.

"I can't tell much of her. There was fire separating us and the armor she wears concealed most of her body, but I'm sure it's a woman." Aurora nodded to herself. "Her hair is long, her face and voice are too soft to be a man's. And I'm convinced that she doesn't come from our land."

Those vague pieces of information confused Phillip even more. His brain went through every possible person he knew that might fit the description. A woman Aurora did not know, long hair, and wearing armor. There was not many women wore armors before. But after Princess Snow's rebellion against Queen Regina over a decade ago, more and more women followed her step and jumped to the battlefield along with men.

"Is there any insignia on her armor?" Phillip enquired; knowing it would cut half of the blind chase if he could recognize which kingdom did this unknown female warrior belonged to.

"There is none..."

"Can you describe her armor, then?"

Aurora had a vacant look as she dug through her brain to find any armor that resembled the one she saw on the woman in her dream, but there was none, and she already saw so many during her life. It was frustrating.

Knowing his fiancée, Phillip helped out. "Does it look like mine?" Aurora shook her head in negative. "Prince Sean's?" Still the same silent answer. "Prince James'?"

"They all basically the same."

Phillip chuckled. "Yeah..."

"She was not wearing a chest plate... Or chainmail..." The princess pointed out each item that she had seen on Phillip before. "And her coat is connected to her shoulder pads. Stiff as turtle shell. It covered her whole shoulders, clasped on the middle by a golden brooch. That's all I can remember of." By this time, she was rambling, describing any details that came to her mind.

The second before last part caught Phillip's attention. "Can you tell me more about the brooch?"

"It's round, like coins but with rectangular hole on the middle. I saw more of it decorating the thick cloth that covered her upper arms. Why? Does it ring a bell?"

"Indeed... It is the eastern empire's armor."

"Oh! She did have a very distinguish features. So, she is from eastern empire?"

"Probably. I'll look more into it. She must have something to do with you to show up in your dreams." Phillip reached out, tucking a lone stray of hair behind Aurora's ear. She was too much of a younger sister for him that he could not think about her in any other way. "I'll find a way to end this nightmare of yours before our... Marriage." His last word came as tensed, but thankfully the princess did not notice it.

"We have a full year before it." Aurora herself could not get beyond how desperate their parents seemed by planning a marriage soon after she was free from the curse. _It fits the custom, though... A man who saves a lady shall have her hand in marriage._ A frown marred her pretty face.

"Then I shall depart soon to find the cure." The suggestion spilled out before Phillip could think thoroughly about it. He did not want to seem desperate to get away from Aurora, something that should never happen for a couple, especially not when they reunited for barely a month. However, he desperately needed time to sort his thought, changing from a soldier who marched through battlefields for the last couple of years into a married man was no easy task. The prince waited for a response with bated breath, but none came. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that-"

Aurora waved her hand to dismiss his apology. "No, it's okay. I'm just thinking... Is it possible for me to go along with you?" Her voice was soft, unsure but hopeful.

Phillip's eyes widened in mix of surprise and horrify. "It's not possible. No, Aurora. We can't afford having a chariot and a group of guards with us, it will only slow us down and I'm not going to endanger your life by letting you go with me without those requirement fulfilled. I'm sorry, but no."

"Please Phillip..." The princess wielded her biggest weapon, pleading puppy dog eyes. It always got her anything she wanted, from practically everyone. Phillip was not immune to this tactic, she knew it, but Aurora was not wishing for some silly dresses or new tiara this time. Her begging look slowly changed into a sad one as she turned her gaze to her lap. "I longed for adventure, Phillip. After our marriage, I won't be able to do so. And-And that woman, she might be in dire need of my help. That's why she shows up in my dreams and calling my name over and over again." Aurora finally stared back at Phillip, blue orbs shining with renewed determination. "For once it's my turn to help someone. So please, Phillip, let me go with you...?"

Deep inside, Phillip agreed with every point that Aurora made. He wanted to grant her wish and this journey might help her matured. Maybe after she saw the world, she would come to a conclusion that marriage was supposed to be based by love, not an arrangement that your parents made when you were born. He really needed Aurora to be on the same page with him and if a journey to find a mysterious woman was what it takes, he would gladly do it. But then again, it was not fully his place to give permission.

"I'll ask your parents first." Phillip sighed in defeat, but he smiled when Aurora squealed happily.


End file.
